Lord Drayson: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Adam Ingram) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the Battle Honours to ships and squadrons of Her Majesty's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, for their participation in the major combat phase of Operation TELIC during the period 19 March to 30 April 2003.
	The following Royal Navy ships and Naval air squadrons have been awarded the Battle Honour "Al Faw 2003"
	
		
			   
			 HMS OCEAN HMS SANDOWN 
			 HMS ARK ROYAL HMS LEDBURY 
			 HMS BLYTH HMS ROEBUCK 
			 HMS BROCKLESBY No 845 Naval Air Squadron 
			 HMS BANGOR No 847 Naval Air Squadron 
		
	
	RAF squadrons which were required to operate under constant threat of attack and had demonstrated gallantry and spirit under fire during the campaign over Iraq and Kuwait or on the ground in the same territories have been awarded the Battle Honour "Iraq 2003" with the right to emblazon the honour on their Standards. Other squadrons which participated in the air and ground campaigns, albeit at a slightly lower level of danger, have been awarded the honour "Iraq 2003" without the right to emblazon the honour on their Standards. The RAF awards are as follows:
	With the Right to Emblazon "Iraq 2003" on Squadron Standards:
	
		
			   
			 No 1 (Fighter) Squadron RAF No 12 (Bomber) SquadronRAF 
			 No II (Army Co-operation)Squadron RAF No 31 Squadron RAF 
			 No 3 Squadron RAF No 47 Squadron RAF 
			 No IV (Army Co-operation)Squadron RAF No 617 Squadron RAF 
			 No 7 Squadron RAF No 51 Squadron RAFRegiment 
			 No IX (Bomber) SquadronRAF 
		
	
	Without the right to emblazonment:
	
		
			   
			 No 8 Squadron RAF No 120 Squadron RAF 
			 No 10 Squadron RAF No 201 Squadron RAF 
			 No 18 (Bomber) Squadron   RAF No 206 Squadron RAF 
			 No 23 Squadron RAF No 216 Squadron RAF 
			 No 33 Squadron RAF No 1 Squadron RAF   Regiment 
			 No 39 Squadron RAF No II Squadron RAF   Regiment 
			 No 43 (Fighter) Squadron   RAF No 16 Squadron RAF   Regiment 
			 No 51 Squadron RAF No 27 Squadron RAF   Regiment 
			 No 101 Squadron RAF No 34 Squadron RAF   Regiment 
			 No 111 (Fighter) Squadron   RAF  
		
	
	Her Majesty has also approved the award of the Battle Honours "Al Basrah" and "Western Iraq 2003" and the Theatre Honour "Iraq 2003" to Army units which participated in Operation TELIC. Specifically the Queen has approved the award of the Battle Honour "Al Basrah" and the Theatre Honour "Iraq 2003" to the Irish Guards who participated in Operation TELIC during the period 19 March to 30 April 2003. The Irish Guards are being awarded these honours ahead of other Army units to enable them to display the Theatre Honour "Iraq 2003" on their Colour on the Queen's Birthday Parade on 11 June 2005. They are unlikely to Troop their Colour again for another seven or eight years. Other Army units who served on TELIC during this period are being invited to apply for the award of these honours. Once all applications are ratified, details of the other units to receive the awards will be notified to Parliament by means of a separate Written Ministerial Statement.